Complicated UTI’s can include kidney stones, chronic kidney disease or recurrent UTI ‘s. Uncomplicated UTI’s are the most common and occur in women of child-bearing age.

The female anatomy is a set up for infections of the bladders. The bladder and its tubing, called the urethra, sit directly along the length of the vagina. Urine exits the body through this very short tube. The opening of the urethra is tiny hole you right above the entrance into the vagina. During vaginal intercourse bacteria from the vagina and rectum can easily find its way into the urethra and the bladder causing a urinary tract infection.
Other causes of UTI’s include spermicides, frequent antibiotic use, anatomical problems, genetic risks, and menopause.
Symptoms of a UTI include:

• Pain or burning with urination
• An urgency to urinate frequently but only passing a very small amount of urine
• Pain in you lower belly
• Urine looks red, pink, cloudy and has a bad odor
• Pain in your lower back
• Fever and chills
• Nausea and vomiting

Severe back pain along with fever, chills, nausea and vomiting are more common symptoms in kidney or upper urinary tract infections
Sometimes it can be tricky to know if you have a UTI since symptoms can be subtle and not typical. If you think something is up down there, see your health care provider to rule out a potentially dangerous unsuspecting UTI. A urine analysis and culture can easily make the correct diagnosis.

If you suspect a UTI and want to find some relief within the first 24 hours here are some useful suggestions. A heating pad/hot water bottle over your lower abdomen, drinking a lot of water, avoiding coffee, alcohol and spicy food, taking over-the-counter urinary pain relief medication with phenazopyridine and ibuprofen and urinating frequently until you get the proper treatment may help ease some of the discomfort from a UTI.

Treatment of a UTI involves taking antibiotics to clear the bacteria responsible for the symptoms and infection. Until you have a prescription in hand from your health care provider, you can get over-the-counter AZO which is a urinary pain reliever.

A UTI is treated with antibiotics for 3 to 7 days. If a UTI is untreated, a UTI and, its disruptive symptoms, will last until it’s probably treated with antibiotics.